Reelworld has named filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon as the recipient of its 2018 Visionary Award.
Reel World Film Festival in Toronto which runs from October 9 to 14, 2018 was created by celebrated Canadian actress Tonya Williams.
The award was to acknowledge Solomon’s tremendous achievements as both a filmmaker and an advocate for artists of colour in the entertainment industry.
“For decades she has steadfastly helped young artists believe that they have the power to bring about social change within themselves. Her festival, CaribbeanTales has shone a spotlight on the diversity of the Caribbean diaspora and strengthened the Canadian media industry.
“Her work as a director, writer, and producer has touched us all. Frances-Anne’s work is heartfelt and powerful. It has and continues to play a vital role in carving out a space for underrepresented voices and important conversations,” the release from the festival said.Frances-Anne Solomon is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, producer, curator, and entrepreneur in film, TV, radio, theatre, and new media. She is Founder and CEO of the CaribbeanTales Media Group, a group of five innovative companies that create, produce, market, and monetise Caribbean-themed film and television content for global audiences.
Frances-Anne is a graduate of the University of Toronto with postgraduate training at Bristol University, UK and the prestigious BBC Drama Directors Programme. She has lectured in film studies at the University of the West Indies: St Augustine Campus (Trinidad) and Cave Hill Campus (Barbados). Her directing credits include A Winter Tale​ (2007), Peggy Su! ​(BBC Films, 1997); What My Mother Told Me​ (Channel 4 1995), and Bideshi​ (British Film Institute 1994); and documentaries Literature Alive: Series 1 & 2​ (Bravo!/OMNI, 2006), Reunion (BBC2,1993), and I Is A Long Memoried Woman ​(Arts Council of England 1991).

The Reelworld Visionary Award celebrates remarkable individuals whose passion and determination continue to make a significant contribution to Canadian film and television. Their life long dedication to the arts has opened doors for diverse artists and forever changed the Canadian entertainment landscape.
Past recipients of this award include, Cameron Bailey, Claire Prieto, Helen Paul, Fil Fraser, Patricia and Moses Mawa, Alice Shih and Ana Serrano.
Source: https://www.reelworld.ca/2018visionaryaward